NOTE: The opening year of the novel is assumed to be 2011. For more details on what assumptions I make, and why I chose this particular dating scheme, see About the Atlas Chronology. All page references are from the paperback edition. The hardcover edition is typeset differently.
Year: | Date: | Event: | ~1600 | Sebastian D’Anconia emigrates to Argentina [p. 91]. | ~ 1875 | Nat Taggart founds Taggart Transcontinental [p. 63]. | 1959 | Robert Stadler born [p.178]. | 1966 | Hank Rearden born [p.34]. | Lee Hunsacker born [p. 298]. | 1968 | Richard Halley born [p. 71]. | Floyd Ferris born [p. 324]. | 1972 | James Taggart born [p. 15]. | 1973 | Phillip Rearden born [p. 40]. | 1975 | Francisco D’Anconia born [p. 57]. | John Galt born to a gas station mechanic in Ohio [p. 731]. | Ragnar Danneskjöld born to a bishop in Norway [p. 143, 731]. | 1977 | Dagny Taggart born [p. 55, 91]. | 1978 | Ellis Wyatt born [p. 17]. | 1979 | Eddie Willers born [p. 11]. | 1980 | Hank Rearden begins work in iron mines in Minnesota [p. 36]. | 1982 | Jeff Allen begins working for The Twentieth Century Motor Company [p. 616]. | 1984 | Richard Halley writes his opera, Phaëthon. Ill-received, it closes after only one performance [p. 70]. | William Hastings joins the staff at The Twentieth Century Motor Company [p. 309]. | 1985 | Winter | Francisco spends the winter of 1954-1955 as a guest of the Duke of Alba [p. 92]. | 1986 | Robert Stadler completes his thesis on cosmic rays [p. 178]. | Summer | Dagny decides to work for Taggart Transcontinental [p. 55]. | Winter | Francisco spends the winter of 1955-1956 as a cabin boy on an ore freighter [p. 92]. | 1987 | Summer | Francisco begins working as call boy for a dispatcher at Taggart Transcontinental [p. 91-2]. | John Galt (age 12) leaves home [p. 731]. | 1989 | Robert Stadler is recognized as the greatest physicist of his time [p. 178]. | Summer | Eddie decides to do “Whatever is right.” [pp. 13-14]; Dagny tells Eddie she will run Taggart Trancontinental when she grows up [p. 55]. | 1991 | Robert Stadler becomes head of the physics department at the Patrick Henry University [p. 97]. | Fall | Francisco D’Anconia, John Galt, and Ragnar Danneskjöld (all age 16) begin attending Patrick Henry University (P.H.U.) [p. 97]. | 1992 | Dagny worries for first and last time whether people might object to a woman running a railroad [p. 55]. | Fall | Jim Taggart begins his senior year of college. D’Anconia, Galt, and Danneskjöld are sophomores [p. 98]. | 1993 | Summer | Page 1 of 3 | Next page